


all my senses come to life

by softinnocence



Category: New Girl (TV 2011)
Genre: AU - Date To Wedding, AU - Fake Wedding Date, Based on a Past Fic, Based on a Tumblr Post, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Massive AU, Or Is It?, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sibling Rivalry, Unrequited Love, abby is, jess isnt the perfect kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28405845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softinnocence/pseuds/softinnocence
Summary: "nick, being the nosey idiot he is, looks over her shoulder. “a destination wedding? only bitches do that,” he said, lifting his mug towards her before sipping it"or jess needs a date for her perfect sister's wedding and she seems to have maybe told her family that it is nick miller.(late season 2 vibes, no cooler kiss and a whole bunch of beach walks and talks)
Relationships: Jessica Day & Nick Miller, Jessica Day/Nick Miller
Comments: 86
Kudos: 66





	1. I : our love isn't water under the bridge.

**Author's Note:**

> this chapter brought to you by amy mae's obsession with fake dating wedding au and nick and jess and saying i wasn't going to update until next year but then the idea hit me and then i hit my keys to my laptop, jj's beautiful writing that makes me jelly and kc trying not to laugh while she betas my work which i knew she was because i wrote "more tight" and i have gcse in english.
> 
> updates will be whenever i feel like it, i mean i am going back to college in the new year and so many unis want me to do my auditions in janaury and i kinda want to go to uni next year so if you don't hear from me for a few weeks, i am not dead, i'm just trying to get into a drama school to study comedy (yeah, that's a degree) so i can be in all these sitcoms. i still post on tumblr so check me out on there. anyway, jee if you read this i respect you. rant aside.
> 
> did inspo hit at 9pm last night and i did 2,000 words and i thought "maybe i should try doing a muti chap?" yes. yes, it did. well anyway, let's see where this goes!! 
> 
> as always, enjoy!!!

Abby’s suburban family house was loudly annoying and overfilled. Jess would normally be in the centre of the room, talking to her uncles and aunts or other family members, trying to keep her parents away from each other and stay away from her sister at all costs inside Abby's house and playing with the many kids that seem to fill the house in Portland. But today, Abby was making sure that all eyes were on her.

Abby Day walks around the room, greeting her family members politely, hiding her left hand in her pocket and looking up at her long term boyfriend, Nathan, whom she met in college, who looks overwhelmed by the messy scene of kids and loud family members, and keeps his arm wrapped tightly around Abby’s waist. Jess stands by the door holding her keys in her hand as she had grabbed an early fight and eyeing her suitcase, which she hasn’t touched since she got into the party. Her old jeans and a flannel, which must be Nick’s because it smells like her roommate, are the only thing covering her while her sister walks around in a dress, which screams expensive, and shoes to make her 5 inches taller.

_ (because abby has always been the perfect child, their mother had always compared the two growing up. while jess knew she wanted to be a teacher, abby chose to be a lawyer, leaving high school with a 4.0 gpa and jess with a 3.9 gpa. it was clear that abby was the golden lawyer child and jess was the kid that moved away to hollywood to be teacher) _

“Everyone! Hi!” Abby taps on the wine glass, raising her voice, quieting the room as eyes all look at her.

Jess watches her father roll his eyes, making Jess smile slightly, glad that someone thought that she was annoying too.

“There is a reason we wanted you here today! We, urm, have some news!” She looks at her partner, who flashes her a small smile. She pulls her hand out of her pocket to show a big diamond ring to all the family, who scream in delight. “We’re getting married!” she shouts over the burst of noise.

Hugs were exchanged with the famous questions that the family seemed desperate to know. to which Abby answered with a smile on her face. Before she was ready, Jess was speaking to her sister for the first time all evening.

“Congrats, you guys!” Because even though Jess doesn’t like her sister a lot, she was still happy for her. 

Abby hugged her tightly, choking Jess in some expensive perfume. “You’re going to be a bridesmaid, right?” Jess didn’t have time to answer. “I can’t believe it! I’m getting married.” And with that, she was off hugging their mom, who told her how proud she was of her.

“Fun, right? Always hoped that this would never happen.” Bob stood beside Jess as they both looked at the scene that she was watching unfold. Her mom was crying and hugging Nathan, who looked very uncomfortable. “Abby doesn’t need any more encouragement." He looked at his other daughter. “You’re still my favorite Jessie, don’t worry.”

_ (bob was the only one who came to her first play, then all her plays after that, hugged her and took her for ice cream when she graduated high school and supported her moving to la. sure, her middle name was horrible, but he named her after his father so it made her a little better carrying that name for him. her father was a great man) _

The corner of her mouth twitched to a small smile. “Thanks, Dad.”

“So, wanna bet on how much your mother is going to spend on this wedding?” He took a long sip from his whiskey still watching Abby trying to pry herself away from her mother.

“Who knows, but I already want it to be over.”

  
  


* * *

The  _ “Save The Date” _ came through a few weeks after her trip to Portland. It came in the post with a heavy sort of papers that Jess knows from crafts to be expensive. She groans as she sees it on the island in the Loft’s kitchen making Nick look up from his laptop and over his cup of coffee at her.

“What? A parking ticket? Bill? Just throw it away, easy.” Nick shrugs.

_ (his eyes had black rings around them as he typed his novel, which he was sure was going to work. z for zombie was his life’s work that he all the sudden urge to compete) _

“No, idiot, and anyway, how is that system working out for you?”

He shrugs again with a worried expression on his face as he thought back to all the bad things that had happened because of it before throwing her a dirty look. “Well, what is it then?”

She drew in a sharp breath. “My sister’s save the date for her wedding.”

“Oh, dam.” He knew the stories and had sat there as her mother only showed him photos of Abby as a kid when she visited for Thanksgiving because Abby was in court with a very important case so she couldn’t host it that year. So her mother went with her other best option. 

Nick puts his coffee down. “Well, the  _ ‘throw it away method’ _ works here in all fairness. You never got it, you never have to go.” He smiles, taking it off the pile, jumping off the stool, holding it over the bin. 

“No, Nick, she sent me an email link to a  _ website  _ to the wedding, so, I have to go even if I don’t want to.” Jess sighs, taking the fancy wrapped letter from Nick’s weak grasp, unfolding it as if it was going to explode at any moment while he starts typing again watching her out the corner of his eye line.

_ “Jessica Christopher Day & Guest - _

_ We invite you to Abby Day and Nathan Pause’s wedding! _

_ When - 19th August 2021 _

_ Where - Maui _

_ Details to follow!” _

Her middle name makes her cringe and groan once again in defeat, and the designer font made her angry for some reason. At least they had remembered to have a guest, making her feel a tiny better being able to bring Sam with her. 

As if on queue the email stating details of the wedding which asks them to be on the island at least two days earlier than the wedding date for the rehearsal dinner and other events. The link to the hotel is expensive and will leave a heavy dent in her savings.

Nick, being the nosey idiot he is, looks over her shoulder. “A destination wedding? Only bitches do that,” he said, lifting his mug towards her before sipping it. “Who are you bringing?” He drops his gaze back to the Word Doc that has 5 words on it, tapping on the keys aimlessly.

“Dr Sam, we have been going strong now, so why not?” she says, not looking him in the eye, trying to find her mug. “Also this freaking hotel she wants us to stay in is going to cost me a fortune….”

He nodded at her, his smile a lot smaller, before tapping the keys aimlessly again.

  
  


* * *

Six months passed, and Jess broke up with Sam when his job took him to New York and Jess didn’t want to stay with him or go to New York because that place was a dump. Nick had been dating a few girls but none of them lasted more than a few weeks, while the other boys messed around, sleeping around, not wanting to settle down.

Jess’ life seemed to be on a good track. She was trying to get rid of all the negativity in her life, becoming better friends with Nick. When he would actually agree to watch a rom-com with her, he would cry first or want to replay scenes. He would help her with the chores or try to learn to knit with her (he was terrible) as the boys were out more. Their friendship wasn't a roommate to roommate anymore. Jess could say they were becoming super close friends.

However, it wasn't long she was getting calls from her sister telling her she had booked her a flight and she was needed in Portland early the next morning reminding her of the one toxic thing she could not get out of.

* * *

  
  


Jess hated the wedding dress shop today. As a little girl, she would look into it wondering what sort of dress she would wear to her wedding, wishing on every star that she would look as pretty as all those girls she saw in posters in the store. However, today, she sighs in defeat as her sister drinks her weight in champagne and laughs with the girls that bullied her throughout her life.

_ (they would find her outside this shop and her sister would encourage them to laugh at her, telling them all her secrets that she had told her in confidence, secrets that were for sisters only, but abby and her weren't sister from day one)  _

“Christy!” Abby calls her childhood nickname taken from her middle name which she hates from the runway wearing a tight wedding dress that Jess couldn’t wear even if she gained hips overnight. “ _ So _ glad you made it!” The fakeness dripped into her voice making Jess want to be home more than ever.

“Yeah, thanks for flying me out Abby.” Abby grabbed her hand tightly like she was about to drag her away from her friends on the playground again when she was 6.

_ (jess was scared. her sister was one of her biggest fears) _

“Oh, baby, no problem, girls!” The group turns from their own conversations to look at the pair. “You remember Jess? Christy? My little sister will be joining us from now on and she is going to be one of my many bridesmaids!” The girls whispered to each other smiling and laughing looking Jess down. She pulled on her yellow dress with flowers that she had thrown in her suitcase because of the short notice. “Your dress is in there doll!” Abby pointed to the far dressing room cubicle.

_ (how many girls that were out there didn’t make her feel special being one of 10 girls that her sister has chosen to be abby’s bridesmaid. however she really just wanted to get the whole event done with and that meant forgetting the about all the silly crap and move on) _

With a deep breath, she pulled the curtain back to show the dress. Even though she hated her sister, her fashion choice was amazing. The light blue dress had puffy, long sleeves that were see-through and knee-length. When she got dressed into it, touching the material softly, afraid to rip it, Jess stood on her tiptoes and thought about herself in heels and lifted her hair up to get the full effect. She felt confident for the first time in coming to the shop all day.

As she walked out of the changing room, nobody was there apart from her Aunt Clara who reached her arms out to her niece. The others must have left while Jess was getting ready which she saw as a blessing. She cooed over the dress, telling her how pretty she looked.

“Oh, darling your date is going to go crazy about this dress!”

Her heart stopped pumping as she thought back to her plus one invite on the fridge at the loft and how she was going to tell her sister that she didn’t need one anymore.

_ (she could hear the fakeness her family would offer her, the  _ sorrys _ and the _ you’ll find someone soon _ lines that have cursed jess from high school. sure she didn’t have much luck with men but she knew she was playing the long game. however, telling her family this didn’t seem to go down well in her head) _

She opened her mouth but Abby walked into the room out of the wedding dress and in a pants suit, clearing overhearing. Jess tried to think of something to say, but she only smiled at her Aunt, nodding slightly.

“That’s what I needed to ask you, Jessica!” Jess' breathing became more uneven and the dress felt way tighter than it did 2 minutes ago. “What is the name of your plus one? I completely forgot to ask you! We need it for the place settings and goodie bag!” She laughed for a split second before pulling out a pen looking at her sister expectantly, face blank.

_ (when you ask jess after all this has gone down why she said his name she will have no answer but that she didn’t want her family to think she was some lonely 29 year old. she won’t tell anyone about her feelings for her roommate that has developed unexpectedly over the last few months and she didn’t go with sam because of him. she will just say they are friends. and if she wants anybody with her apart from cece she will respond him) _

“Nick.” Guilt fills her mind but saying his name gains her some comfort. “His name is Nick Miller.”

_ (thoughts of nick in a hawaii island filled her mind. or maybe nick was always in her mind) _

Her sister writes his name down on a pad, drawing a line underneath it. Her face seems to be filled with defeat as if Jess had something she didn’t want to hear. “Well, the dress looks," she pauses looking her down, "good enough on you.” Jess smiled through the anger leaning at a very young age not to give Abby the reaction she wants. “I’ll get it to the island for you. Don’t want you to mess anything up, do we?” Abby smiles condescendingly. “Anyway, see you later, Aunt Clara, see you in 2 weeks on the island!” Shoving her notepad into her bag she took one final look at her sister. “Well go get dressed Jessica!”


	2. II: loving you is a losing game.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (the line, “she is the one looking after me most of the time”, does something to jess. her heart flips in her chest and she wants to think of an excuse to stare at his phone for so long)
> 
> or jess has to tell nick what she has gotten him into

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR!! <<333
> 
> this chapter is brought to you by amy mae's new love for netfilx cause they have finally put the office on there!!!! eeee!!! so frecking happyyyyy. anyway and KC's 50k slow-burn for glee, so brb going to watch glee and steal her cute dog. oh and ofc JJ just being in this world. she is too pure.
> 
> anyway, i have done this over a long period of time so if it is messy, sorry! updates are going to be messy and that annoys me but welcome to the life of a 17-year-old from england who wants to GO TO UNIVERSITY. yes, i only talk about uni right now. anyway, even if you don't want to, i'm updating everyone on this uni journey every time i post a new chapter. you're welcome. sorry this is so small, it's a little filler chap before we get into the dramarama, (copyrighted that word as a drama student.)
> 
> thank you to everyone who left a comment on my last chapter, gave me a lot of encouragement to carry on with this! so please tell me what you think again!
> 
> enjoy ness nerds, have an amazing 2021!

“I have a question,” Nick states to Jess as he picks her up from the LAX airport.

Jess sighs, pushing her suitcase towards him which he takes like the gentleman he can be sometimes to put in his trunk. “Yeah, me too. What happened to a proper greeting, Miller?” She looks him in the eye as he unlocks the car.

“Sorry,” he rolls his eyes before climbing into the rundown vehicle. “Hey, Jess.” He smiled at her when she was sitting in the passenger seat.

“Hey, Nick,” she sighs deeply. “Remind me never to go back to Portland, please.” 

Nick laughs, before rolling his eyes. “Okay, Day, got it.” He starts the car, tapping the dashboard for good luck like he does every time, and starts the engine. 

They drove through LA with ‘ _ Cotton Eye Joe’  _ on low volume so Nick didn’t start pumping his fist so they could drive home safely. Nick didn’t start a conversation and kept his humming to the song down to a low. She was grateful because the only thing Jess could think about is how to break the news to him. How to tell him he might have to fake getting some illness so he didn’t have to come.

_ (or maybe she might have to ask her best friend to pretend to be her boyfriend for 5 days) _

As they pulled up outside the loft and Nick turned off the engine he looked at her once again. “I still want to ask you something.”

_ (she knew because her sister was prepped, she could easily track him down on facebook and message him. she knew what was coming, just didn’t see it coming so soon.) _

“She messaged you, didn’t she?” Jess threw her head back on the seat head.

“Huh?” His eyes look over her body language looking totally confused. “No, nobody messaged me, my phone died last night, I haven't been able to get any messages. I was only on time to pick you up because you left a note saying what time you were going to be back. Smart by the way.” He points at her giving her a knowing look.

_ (annoyingly jess knew that she had to tell him, but words weren’t forming. how do you ask someone to be your fake date to a maui wedding? she needs to find a yahoo answer for that question cause she swears everyone has done something as insane as this) _

“Which is what I’m leading up to. Can I use your charger, please? I think I left mine in the shower and it got wet and now it isn’t working and the guys hid there’s from me.” Nick asks her leaning behind him to show her the broken charger. “Anyway, what did you do in Portland for someone to message me?”

_ (in these moments usually she would sigh at his comment before exiting the car wondering how she has feelings for this man, but today it was different. she wasn't listening) _

“I need you to be my date at Abby’s wedding!”

_ (the car went dead quiet. jess could hear her heart rate increase and nick’s brain processing the news. his eyes didn’t drop gaze with her’s and jess could swear he looked slightly shocked. understandable) _

“Huh? Wait, is this about the plus one on the fridge?”

“I told Abby my date was you. She ambushed me, I was meant to say I didn’t need it anymore but then,” she dropped her gaze to her feet on the messy car floor. “Your name was the first to come into my head. I’m sorry, I know it’s painful, I am so sorry.” Jess ranted.

“Wow, glad you thought of me. Like, don’t you have any men that  _ can _ lie?” Nick laughed.

“You can just have to use the whole make-believe thing. Just use the time you were attracted to me!” His smile twitched for a second. “That’s if you want to go? You don’t have to, I mean….” Nick covers his hand over her mouth to quiet her before rolling his eyes.

_ (he has an expression she has only seen before when she watched a woman break up with him. he looks as if he wants to say something but then keeps his mouth shut because he is scared. he’s scared of something but jess can’t tell what) _

“Jee, Jessica, it’s cool, you just gave me a free invite and plane ticket to Maui! And all I have to do is hang out with my best friend for less than a week?” He uncovers her mouth. “When do we leave? I really want to try building a sandcastle that all the kids on the beach get jealous about and then... ”

“No, it’s not just a vacation, you have to convince my family that we are dating. I can’t have them thinking that something is going on here, the only thing that should be going on is us dating.” Jess winces at her own words as she replayed them in her head.

“Yeah, that made sense, Jess.” He exits the car, running round to open her door for her. “I can be a man if I need to be.” She steps out of the car giving him an inquisitive look. “Maybe.” 

He walks to the building door before speaking again. “Sometimes.” 

In the elevator, he whispers to her, “I’ll try.”

Jess sighs. This was going to be a long few weeks.

* * *

“So I charged my phone and it turned out I did get a message from your sister.” Nick walks into the kitchen the next morning. “Thanks again for the charger!” He laughs looking at his phone again carrying a notepad.

Jess got off the stool to take the phone off him to read the message as he threw his hands up muttering something about not checking his internet history and how people need to respect privacy.

The message on the first on messenger, which she presses in anger.

_ Abby Day - Hi! You must be Nick Miller? Jessica Day’s boyfriend? If so, I am very excited to meet you, I am sure Jessica has filled you in, but if you need anything or some help with our Jessica (she can be a handful, lol!) do not be afraid to text me! _

Jess hates how her sister wrote her full name throughout the text as if Nick didn’t know Jess well at all and acts as if she never uses her shortened name. She feels her eyes rolling into the back of her head until she sees a response from Nick. She was going to shout at him, telling him not to talk to the enemy but as she reads the text, she rubs her glasses because Nick wrote a grown man response. 

_ Nick Miller - Excited to meet you too. Jess can handle herself, she is the one looking after me most of the time. See you next week, good luck with wedding planning! _

_ (the line, “she is the one looking after me most of the time”, does something to jess. her heart flips in her chest and she wants to think of an excuse to stare at his phone for so long) _

“How did she find you on FaceBook?” Jess could only choke out, handing his phone back to Nick. He took it back with a small grin, swapping it with her mug full of coffee.

“You tag me in a lot of stuff and I do the same to you, I mean last week I saw that bunny in a cup, so I tagged you.” He laughed again, remembering the photo, “so I mean we already seem like a couple.”

_ (jess chokes on her coffee and wants to ask him to follow up on that, not sip his drink, write on his notepad a to-do list, tapping his pen on his lip which makes her thoughts lead down other paths about her lips on his) _

“Great,” Jess chokes out smiling at him when he looks up at her. “We do need a game plan though. Like, make sure we are on the same page.”

Nick drops the pen which looks like it’s been chewed up by a dog nodding at her. “Okay, well, easy enough, we met clearly when you moved in and started dating about 4 months ago after you made a move on me.”

Jess raises an eyebrow. “I made a move on you?”

“Yeah, you couldn’t wait any longer living across from this,” he gestures to himself, “you asked me if I wanted to go out sometime, and then, bam, it happened.”

_ (jess wishes she was this girl in the fantasy) _

“Okay got it,” even though she was still processing how she was going to talk to her family about this, “so now the family,” She stands up, pouring the cold coffee down the sink.

“Your Mom is a Thepairst for kids, and your Dad is a retired Lawyer and that’s why your sister wanted to be one. Not that your Dad was any good from what you tell me but you still favor him over Abby and your Mom.” Jess looked at Nick in confusion.

“How did you know that?” Because as far as she is aware Jess had told him this over a year ago.

Nick shrugs, sipping his coffee once more. “I know that you have a scar on your knee when your Dad wasn’t watching you when you were riding your bike, you got an offer to go to Yale, but you wanted to be closer to Cece so declined, you love Taylor Swift so much you got into an augment on the internet with a man about who all her songs were about and you have at least 46 books. So really I think I’m all caught up.” He smiles over his mug.

_ (maybe is was the idiot grin on his face or the fact that he remembered everything about her that she has only said once but she felt something in her gut she couldn’t put her finger on) _

“Okay, great, well done.” She smiles, trying to hide her blush by pushing her glasses up her nose and playing with the arms of them to fit her face better.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Schmidt drives them to the airport on the Sunday before the wedding as Jess knows that there will be other events that her family will question her failure to arrive at. Most of the family was already there and Jess used her ' _boyfriend'_ card, telling them Nick had a shift at work yesterday so they wouldn’t be on the island by this afternoon. But really Jess didn't want to spend any more time than she had to with her family. 

Schmidt drives super slow making Jess have more time with her thoughts and the annoyingly bad music coming out of the speaker in his car.

“The traffic is horrible, I swear, Jessica, if we didn’t leave when we did, you would have only had 5 hours to get to your flight!” Schmidt exclaimed fingers banging to the beat of the horrendous music. Nick has tried to change the music at least three times now, but he had his hand slapped away by the driver.

Her latest text message from Cece lights up her phone.

_ 8:12am Cece - traffic? sounds badddddddd, lol, poor you with schmidt’s music taste, that’s worse. are you sure you want to do this? Xxxxx <333 _

She looks to the seat in front of her, as Nick called shotgun in a favor in case Schmidt chose to take a longer route to talk to the two about what to do on this holiday.

_ (“jess doesnt need to bring more snacks for me schmidt!” nick called his best friend when they were at the door this morning. “she is not my mom, you're acting like my mom, now stop going through our suitcases and let's go! yes all my holiday shirts are in the bag, and yes, thank you for the spending money, schmidt i swear i’m about to drive us.”) _

She responds to Cece’s text quickly after getting it.

_ 8:13am Jess - tbf cece, it’s just like going on holiday with my other best friend. it will be fine! Xxxx <3 _

“Yeah, thank you again, Schmidt, this is really helpful.” Jess thanks him from the backseat.

“Feeling good, Day?” Nick turns in his seat to meet her nervous gaze. “I’ve packed all my clean clothes, so don’t worry about that.”

She gives him a weak smile. “Never better, Miller.”

_ 8:15am Cece - famous last words, jessica day xxx <3 _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos, bookmarks, comments, recs are like a bowl of ice cream to me. and i love ice cream. so please do me a favor and drop on down below! (p.s even if you are not logged in, you can leave kudos!!)
> 
> you're amazing! thank you so much for being on this earth <33
> 
> tumblr - brightinnocence - come talk to me!!


	3. III : friends don't look at friends that way.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "the words fall out of her mouth before she can stop herself, mentally slapping herself but still smiling through the pain"
> 
> or jess and nick go to maui and get settled in, but drama seems to follow them everywhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ba, ba, daaaaa. this chapter is brought to you by amy mae trying to fit brooklyn 99 characters into this chapter. and if you haven't watched brooklyn 99, don't worry it's not necessary! also really wanna cut my hair, but no idea yet, anyway, and KC is here, because duh, do i even have to tell you that I love her? hope this cheers you up girly, love you. oh and JJ made a mood board for this and am now using the pictures she used for ideas, so thank JJ.
> 
> uni update time - i found the tracking form and did it and still nothing has really changed apart from the fact i need to film some monologues. pretty short but hopefully some news will come through soon!
> 
> this one is a little longer for you, might be a while when i update again maybe like a week and a bit, got some coursework I need to do.
> 
> have an amazing day, enjoy!!

Jess was grateful that when she looked around the plane she couldn’t see any of her family members, thankful they'd flown out earlier to enjoy the many expensive activities Abby had paid for. Nick had let her have the window seat, muttering something about clouds being from outer space which Jess giggled at his kindness and silly comment.

However, she still threw Xanax down her throat just before take-off watching Nick’s face while he looked at her with an amused look on his face. She feels the calm feeling washing over her as she slumps in her seat while Nick shakes his head plugging in his seat belt.

“You scared of flying, Jessica?” He remarks playfully but still has a worried look. Jess looks over to him, smiling small.

“No, I just hate not _doing_ stuff, you know?” She shrugs starting to feel the effect of the pills.

“What, no. What’s better than flying, movies, and food for hours on end!” 

As they took off Jess held her seat belt tightly watching Nick how held out a hand to her. She took it, not paying attention to the meaning behind it only about needing her friend. Their fingers interlacing and Nick rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand.

_(she was watching him breathe softly, his hand rubbing in her’s and with the other playing with his seat belt and somehow she felt better than she did a few seconds ago)_

Some feelings stirred in her gut and Nick’s hand tightened on Jess’ as he kept watching her expression. When the captain states over the speaker that they are good to take off their seatbelts, Jess and Nick let go of each other's hands, glancing at each other uncontrollably. 

Nick seemed to sense the mood and started to pull the headphones out of his bag. “Come on, Day, lighten up.” He smiles at her in which she copies.

_(his playful look holding a headphone towards her which kills her because those brown eyes are her weakness. she cannot wait to see them in hawaii sun)_

Sighing deeply, she takes the right headphone. Nick rubs his hand together leaning back in his seat pulling out his tablet which Schmidt’ got him for Christmas, pulling up all his downloads on Netflix. She watches as he scrolls through the films he had on it stopping him when he passes ‘the office.’

“I did not take you as an office guy!” Jess whispers shouts.

Nick shrugs. “Yeah, Dwight reminds me of Schmidt too much.”

They laughed as Nick played the episode he was on, placing the tablet on the seat table. But Jess had been up too early and the pills were having an effect on her that made her want to close her eyes forever.

“Go to sleep, Jess.” Nick pulls out the headphone from her ear seeing what she was feeling. “I’ll wake you, promise.”

She didn’t need to be told twice.

* * *

Jess woke with the captain’s voice telling them they had landed. She groaned loudly over the crowd of people trying to get off the plane. Her head was leaning away from the window where she had fallen asleep watching clouds and listening to Nick’s quiet giggles at The Office. Right now her head was on Nick’s shoulder and his head rested on her’s, still tablet in hand.

_(that feeling returned but this time was a slight feeling that nick wasn’t helping her get over him)_

“Hey, Jessica, we’re here,” Nick whispered, lifting his head off her’s, poking her side.

She moaned and yawned, lifting her head off his shoulder, throwing him an annoyed look.

“Okay, let's get this done and over with.” Jess stands off her seat throwing Nick his backpack.

* * *

“Jessie!” A loud boyish brown-haired man greets them outside the airport waving his hand quickly smiling widely.

Jess sighs at her cousin, smiling back at him, looking back at Nick who has a small smile on his face pulling their suitcases behind him.

“Hey, Charles!”

_(she really loved her cousin charles. he was from new york and it did mean sometimes they wouldn't see each other but she was involved in a text chain but charles’ step-sister gina had spammed with her youtube videos for the longest time and nobody couldn’t text within it before she had asked them if they had subbed to her on her channel)_

He ran up to them on his short legs outside the busy and hot airport. “Your father sent me. He wanted to pick you guys up himself, but Abby had lunch planned for him and your mother. Something just close family?” He shrugs as Jess pushes the feeling she has dealt with all her life, not making eye contact with Nick. “Anyway, I promised I would get you to the hotel and make sure you were ready in time for the welcome party tonight!” Charles finally looked at Nick. 

“Ah! You must be the famous Nick Miller. Abby has been telling everyone she doesn’t believe you're real.” Charles laughs, looking between the two.

She looks across to Nick who shoots her his trademark, ‘i’m great smile’, before reaching out a hand to Charles. “It’s great to meet you, Charles.” Charles took it gratefully, shaking him and giving Jess a nod of approval.

“Right, let's go!” Charles shouts getting dirty looks from the travelers.

* * *

They checked into the front desk, Charles muttering something about wanting to check the food was going to be good and he would see them tonight, kissing Jess on the cheek and patting Nick on the back running away to help with the many things Abby has made him take on.

“Jessica Day? Um, room 304?” She tells the receptionist.

The lady whose name tag reads KC smiles at them. “Ah, yes, it seems that you have been upgraded to a balcony view. That is room 509. The bride has done this to all her close family members. That’s one of our best rooms!” KC hands them the key cards and smiles once again and Jess couldn’t stop thinking about how nice she was.

“Oh, okay, thank you very much.” Jess looked at Nick who had been very quiet since they got here, different from his usual self.

“Sounds great, thank you, KC,” Nick tells the lady again who nods at them and tells them if they need anything she is willing to help. With final goodbyes and thanks, Jess and Nick made their way into the elevator in which they started to laugh.

_(it’s funny when abby can be a good sister, but really you need to look deeper into it, it shows what a flexer (that’s what all the kids in jess’ class say) she was being with this money she earns)_

They held onto each other laughing in the empty elevator, getting dirty looks from an old couple who were waiting on the ninth floor but really the two just couldn’t stop laughing over what a crazy morning they were having.

It all stopped when they entered the room and saw a double bed. They looked at each other, smiles dropped and it came to Jess to break the silence.

“I booked a twin room, but when we got upgraded, Abby made them all double, I can sleep on the chair? Or on the balcony?” She looked up at him again and his face seemed way calmer.

“Jessica, please, we’ve shared a bed before, we can do it for 4 nights, no biggy.”

_(he was right. remmy had broken a pipe when trying to fix something in nick’s room once, so, instead of sleeping on the sofa, jess told him he just sleep next to her. so they did, and nothing happened)_

Jess smiles at the memory of late-night talks and him poking her in the morning to know if she wanted breakfast. “Okay, are you sure?”

Nick laughed again, jumping on the bed like a child. “Yeah, we are not letting this bed go to waste.”

“Alright, Nick, sounds good.” She grins trying to hide her nerves.

* * *

  
  


Jess’ dress was a buy under Cece’s watch. It was a navy blue dress that sparkled in the Hawaii sun and made her look bright and elegant. She felt confident. The bathroom was covered in her makeup as she tried to cover the bags under her eyes as she put on some more marasca. Nick knocked on the door gently muttering something about being ready whenever she was.

She took a deep breath, looking down at herself again. Her phone buzzed beside her.

_4:25pm : Cece - go get em j-d xxx_

_4:26pm : Jess - love ya xxx_

She exited the bathroom to find Nick sitting on the armchair flicking through his phone, looking up when the bathroom door shut.

_(to this day, jess replays the look he gives her. his mouth is slightly open and his eyes are trying to take all of her in. he pulls on his blazer that brought under schmidt’s watchful eye, different from the many blazers that he had ready for the wedding and rehearsal dinner)_

He swallowed deeply, smiling at her, putting his phone in his back pocket. “Wow, Day, you look,” he struggled to find the words he was just looking over her dress and the purse she had just picked up, “amazing.”

_(her heart flipped. her smile couldn’t be any bigger)_

“You're looking sharp yourself, Miller.” She turned to him, fixing his tie slightly.

_(if you couldn’t sense this, there is a lot of tension. but jess puts it down to nerves)_

“Ready?”

“Yep, I’m good, Nick.”

* * *

The hotel lobby was packed with Jess’ family members. Most of them she hadn’t seen in a while, others living close by in LA. She holds onto Nick’s arm tighter who winces in pain but stays quiet. She couldn’t help it. Fear of these people was too high, I mean these were meant to be her family, she shouldn’t be scared.

_(she was only afraid of abby and her mother and what they have told guests)_

“Oi, Jessie J!” A loud and confident voice calls across the hall. Jess knows who it is, she just didn’t think she would be here.

“Hey, Gina!” Nick looks at Jess when her voice breaks holding her closer and more protectively. She whispers to Nick, “Nah, it’s cool, Gina is nice, promise, just loud.” 

Gina embraces her step-cousin, smiling at Nick. “It’s amazing to see you again Jessica, and who is this?” She holds out a hand to Nick for him to shake which he shakes with the hand, not around Jess’ waist.

“Nick Miller, Jessie J’s boyfriend.” Gina laughed loudly making guests look at her but she didn’t seem to care. 

“Oh my, Jess you got a good one!” Jess smiles at Nick who looks down at her returning the smile. “Anyway, gotta go and vlog this thing for my YouTube channel, love ya, lovely to meet you, Nick, see you guys around!”

As she walks off, Nick lets out a deep breath. “Jee, she’s something isn’t she?”

Jess laughs beside him. “She is something. She works with Charles in New York in some police department and their parents got married. We became good friends when she came to Portland to visit. I agreed with her that Boyle’s jokes weren’t that funny. We have been good friends since. She pretends to hate everyone so really, consider yourself lucky, she must really like you.”

“Got it, hopefully the rest of the night could go like this.”

“Let’s get ‘em, Miller.” They high-fived walking into the lobby not having 5 minutes before being bombed by Jess’ Father.

“Jessica!” He shouted holding a beer and walking up to the pair. “Gina said she just saw you! Come here, I haven’t seen you in weeks.”

Jess lets go of Nick to hug the one family member that she can go to for anything. While Abby was at Spanish club and Track team which their mom would drive her to and cheer her on, Jess stuck with her Father who drove her to her Dance Class and cheered her on there. They would go out for ice cream afterward and complain about how Abby had more pudding last night or how Jess’ mom never paid attention to her. Bob would just listen, telling the waitress to get the girl anything she wanted.

“Hey, Dad.” She embraced him tightly.

“Hey, kiddo, how is it going?”

“Yeah, it’s great.” She steps back to see Nick standing watching her with a small smile. “Um, Dad, this is Nick.” Bob looked at the man Jess was showing him with a curious look. “My boyfriend.”

Nick held out his hand which Bob shook tightly nodding in approval. Because the only man in her life that was at the ‘meeting the parent stage’ was Spencer and he never shook Bob’s hand, only nodding at him flicking through his phone. She should have known that was where the relationship was going to go downhill. Her Dad wants respect and he deserves it.

“So, how are you treating my Jess?” Bob looks down at Nick who looked super different in his suit.

“Well, I can’t really say that one, she should give the feedback there, but hopefully I am doing a good job for her.”

“How is he treating Jess?” Bob looked back at Jess wanting the answer.

“Amazing, just, amazing, Dad, he’s my everything.”

_(the words fall out of her mouth before she can stop herself, mentally slapping herself but still smiling through the pain)_

“I mean she is my best friend and I would do anything for her. Thank you for raising such a brilliant woman.” Nick takes her hand kissing it before smiling back at Bob.

Bob smiles. “Ah, she did it herself. You seem like a good lad, do you play Golf?”

Nick stuttered. “I mean….”

“Sounds great, you can play with us sometime, me and my brothers would love an extra player.”

Abby’s voice fills the hall from the stage in which a microphone has been placed to make her fake voice even louder for the public ear. Jess’ hand finds Nick’s for the second time today and he rubs his thumb along her palm calming her slightly. Bob pats Nick on the back, kisses Jess’s cheek just like Charles did before making his way closer to the stage.

“Hello everyone!” Nathan stands to one side of his future wife, wincing at her voice in her mic. Abby’s hair was done in a fancy bun and her dress was black and small making Jess feel overdressed. She was never going to amount to her sister.

“It’s amazing to see that you have made it here safe and sound. Nathan and I wanted to give our thanks and appreciation to my mother who has so kindly paid out so much to this wedding even going into someone else’s wedding fund, won’t say whose, but we wanted to make sure this was going to be the best wedding ever for all of you.”

Jess knows who’s wedding fund that was. It was her’s. But the audience didn’t seem to care.

“Anyway, enjoy what the island has to offer, have an amazing time, and hope to see you around soon!”

The crowd claps making their way to the buffet table, but Jess didn’t move. She was sure she had cut off the blood in Nick’s hand but she could feel him holding it just as tight.

“Do you have another sibling?” Nick’s teeth were gritted, his voice was filled with anger and something that Jess didn’t want to say.

“Nope.” Her breathing intensifies as she saw her dad talking to her mom in a hushed argument.

“Jessica?” Nick looked at her. “Jess, I swear, did they just spend all your wedding funds on this shit?”

“Yeah.”

She found herself in his embrace, his hand in her hair, her arms around his waist and she couldn’t one bit about if people where looking or anything, only about Nick dragging her out of the event hall into the quiet lobby to hug her tighter and whisper that he was here and it was going to be okay.

_(she should have known that all this money doesn’t come from thin air, but from the accounts that her mother made when they were kids, telling them they could have the money to pay for a good wedding that they would remember. it wasn’t jess’ money, but it was still promised for her)_

“Hey, Jess,” She pulled away to meet Nick’s eyes, “I’ll pay for your wedding Jess, really promise, I will.” Jess laughed and Nick joined in.

“Okay, Miller, holding you to that.”

“Come on, kid, let’s get out of here,” Nick says holding out his hand which Jess takes as if this was a routine by now.

“Where are we going?” She sniffs wiping the tears that had stopped coming.

“We are on Maui, Hawaii, Jessica, the beach clearly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> your kudos, comments, bookmarks make me SUPER HAPPY. like, please comment, it makes my day!!


	4. IV : oh god i miss you too, it's all i ever do.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "because she believes that today, something about pretending to be in a fake relationship makes him want to act this way towards her. he is being her boyfriend without the rewards and jess feels angry that she had to put her best friend though this"
> 
> or it's all just hurt, comfort and fluff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is brought to you by amy mae's new clothes, oh AND HER FRECKING TRACKING FORM GOING THROUGH AND PORTSMOUTH UNI WANTS ME GUYS! i'm totally cool, just waiting for a little interview and it's going to be fun to see what's going to happen. JJ telling me I am her best writing friend and me wanting to travel the world just to hug my internet older sister and best friend. AND how can we not forget about KC who looks through what is a mess of a chapter to make it readable. i don't know what i would do without you kc, you are the best beta writer in the world and i will spend forever telling you that.
> 
> anyway, sorry this took so long, updates are going to be messy from now on, but trust me, this will be finished!!
> 
> thank you for staying with this! enjoy!

How will you afford it?" Jess shouts over the loud waves crashing into the shore. 

_ (the beach was empty, a few dog walkers and joggers but it was peaceful. anyway it turned out that it was way past 10pm, and abby had been speaking into that mic for such a long time, jess had only zoned out)  _

"Your wedding?" Nick's tie undone around his neck, his eyes sparkling with the sun set and his anger was fading with every step he took. He grinned at Jess’ face to which she rolled her eyes, hands deep in his pockets. 

"Yeah, cause I want it to be fancy," Jess laughs, looking out onto the horizon where the sun sets behind it making the sea a light color of yellow and orange. 

Nick sits in the sand facing the water, the waves missing him by inches, patting the space next to him to invite her to sit with him. 

She sits next to him, letting the waves run over her heels, not bothered, not thinking about how they were brand new and how she was going to let them dry, only about the deep in thought man sat beside her with an undone tie and crooked smile.

He rolls his eyes when she gestures for him to tell her, excited for the answer. "Okay, let's make a deal, cause your husband will be mad if I pay for the whole thing, making me his number one enemy, which I do not want." 

Jess smiles into the sand as he carries on. 

"Okay, a beach wedding is as far as I will go. I'll pay for anything you want Jess, but your husband can pay for the reception." 

Jess laughs again.

“You're going to poor Nick Miller after my wedding.”

He groans. “That’s it, I'm not paying for it, I take it back.”

“No take backs, Miller!”

_ (she hopes her that her husband will learn to love nick, because he is one of the most important people in her life) _

Nick takes off his shoes walking into the water flicking it at her. She shouts something about the dress being new and he is going to wreck his suit but that only made him throw more water at her. 

"Lighten up, Day" 

_ (those were the words he said to her on the plane and they were the words that made her want to lighten up, to be fun. for him) _

"Oh, you're on, Miller." She throws her heels into the sand, thanking her lucky stars she didn’t wear tights this evening, throwing herself into the water and splashing around like a child in a rainstorm.

Nick threw his head back and laughed into the sunset, chasing her into the water deeper making her dress wet through. Jess threw more water at him in which he gave her the same amount of energy, throwing it back at her, still chasing her, picking her up and making her dress stick to his shirt.

_ (their eyes locked and the beach that once was filled with laughter and waves was now silent. with the tide calming down and nick’s legs knee deep in the blue waves and somehow jess was now sure she was in love with the man holding her, not her future husband. because when she looks ahead she can see a little boy and girl, the boy wild brown curls which she talks out of calling reggie but still allows nick to call something silly while the girl who has an old, unique name has wavy brown hair. The boy is calm and organized like his mom, while the girl with bright blue eyes had late night dance parties with her father and only wants him to take her to school. if that isn’t love she didn’t know what was) _

Their lips were inches apart, eyes flicking with the late Hawaii sun and it felt right. Like somehow Nick and Jess were meant to end up here on a beach far away from their best friends and alone to figure out these unsaid feelings.

“Jessica!” A high pitched, angry voice filled the quiet beach, one that Jess knew from being up past her bedtime and being caught sneaking out to see her friends.

Nick is carrying her to shore before she could even ask him to put her down, his face bright red like they were teenagers just been caught making out. He puts Jess down carefully as if she  was fragile or if all the sudden he cares about the dress on her that is soaked through with salt.

_ (it was still her new favorite dress though) _

With her shoes in her hands, she walked towards her mother who did not look happy to see her.

“Jessica Day.” Joan looks down at her wet daughter, with her hair in crazy damp curls.

“Hi, mom.”

_ (she hardly loved the woman in front of her. she only had eyes for abby, claiming her other daughter jessica was away with the fairies, not anything special. emotional abuse her school therapist claimed, telling her to wait it out until she could get away from the toxic environment) _

Her mom looked down at Nick who was just as wet, holding his shoes as well, on his face a unimpressed expression leaning towards his turtle face, his hand in a tight fist.

Joan looks back at her daughter. “Nice to see that you would rather spend your sister’s wedding messing about on the beach with this,” she pauses, trying to find the right word for Nick, while Jess prays she says nothing out of line, “boy.”

Nick doesn’t look surprised, a flicker of hurt flashes across his face as if Joan has only told him what he knows, but he still stands his ground, staying calm and watching Jess.

“It’s not her wedding. Her wedding is the day after tomorrow!” Jess throws her hand up, shivering wishing that she had brought a cardigan as the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping.

Joan laughs. “And you still believe you have the right to do nothing!” Jess doesn’t look at Nick, but can tell he is about to say something because that is the type of person he was, ready to protect the ones he loves. “You can ask your sister if she needs anything to do. Remember the more money she saves, the more money for your wedding, that’s if you ever get married.”

_ (she does this. knows people are around, but joan has made it her life goal to make her youngest daughter’s life hell) _

Nick puts his dry blazer over her shoulders, as if gave him something to do while he prepared to talk to Joan. “Leave her alone.” HIs voice was confident; Jess was shocked.

“Look, Mick? Rick?” Joan shrugs, not bothered. “This is nothing to do with you, stay out of it.”

_ (his hand was pushing her behind him, a protective state she had only seen with his nieces and nephews at walter’s funeral. she had watched him tell jamie to stop bullying them, making sure the kids couldn’t see his pissed facial expression as the kids gripped to nick’s leg and he would wipe their tears telling them about all the embarrassing thing’s jamie had done before making them giggle. she had spent the whole trip wishing he had got the guts to kiss her that true american night and hoping that he was going to be okay) _

“It’s Nick,” he wants to say something else, but Jess squeezes his wrist, pulling him back.

Jess opens her mouth to speak from behind Nick, while Joan watches the two carefully before Bob walks down the beach. Jess could feel the tension leaving her body at the sight of her father who seems to be the only person who Joan can’t argue with.

_ (something about bob loving both of his daughters, but being ready to tell joan she had stepped to far when forgetting to bring down jess’ christmas gifts when she was ten, leading to the understanding that santa was real and her own mother forgot about her) _

His hand still held a beer, but it hardly ever didn’t, as Joan steps away from Jess and Nick, turning to head back to the hotel at the sight of her ex-husband. 

“Yeah, run away Joan, this week isn’t about you, ya know!” Bob tells her as she passes him.

Joan flips him off, muttering something about the biggest mistake of her life and Jess couldn’t tell if she was talking about her or her father.

“You good, kid?” Nick turned her around to which she shrugged, unaffected. There had been worse times and this time she was lucky to have Nick and her father.

“Yeah, I’m okay, Dad,” she promises, still clinging to Nick’s blazer.

They end up walking back to their hotel room door, Nick shaking Bob’s hand at the door laughing at some sports joke and somewhere along the way his hand founds hers and Nick’s it didn’t let go of hers.

_ (she was grateful because he is the only thing that is keeping her grounded right now, her thoughts away from wedding crap) _

As the door shut, Nick opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, his eyes just looking at the back of the girl he had no idea went through this and came out so great.

Jess swallows thickly.

“Nick?”

“Yeah, Day?”

She turns to him, his eyes tracing over her wet dress and his blazer that is 3 sizes too big but still felt as if it belonged on her. 

“I’m sorry.”

Nick looked shocked, and automatically embraced her for the second time today.

_ (because she believes that today, something about pretending to be in a fake relationship makes him want to act this way towards her. he is being her boyfriend without the rewards and jess feels angry that she had to put her best friend though this) _

“Why the fuck are  _ you  _ sorry, Jessica?” He is muffled by her hair which is still slightly damp on her shoulder, but he still holds her tightly, as his voice breaks at the end.

Where his shirt was slightly dry, wasn’t anymore. Tears streamed from her eyes, and Nick pulled her down to the floor where she clings onto her best friend, where she finds herself crying into his shoulder. He mutters something into her hair over and over again that she can’t hear, but finds his voice calming and she starts to know why she loves this Nick more everyday.

What felt like hours later, Nick pulled Jess up joking about how she really needed a shower, smiling down at her with his own watery eyes, letting go of her hand.

* * *

Sun poured through the big windows that the large room had to offer. Jess moaned, knowing it was probably very late within the day, and she usually gets up early to go for a run or start knitting, but today she felt an arm thrown over her waist and a man’s quiet breathing that made her just want to stay in this moment forever.

_ (she was scared to move because they might have to talk about what happened last night and that’s something she doesn’t want to do) _

“Nick,” she breaths scared to see if he was awake because they might also have to talk about that arm around her waist that holds her protectively.

He groans, his arm tighten, pulling her closer.

“Shut up, Jessica. Go back to sleep, it’s too early.”

She laughs quietly, mostly out of nerves, because the arm around her waist was giving her the feeling that she felt at the beach last night.

_ (‘he’s feels the same way’, something inside her whispers) _

She rolls over to him to meet his closed eyes and his brown hair messy like most mornings when he comes out of his room at midday.

“It’s 10am, Nick.” Which is very late for Jess, she cannot remember a time when she has slept in that late.

His eyes shot open. “I’m going to kill you.”

“What!? That’s so late!” 

His arms left her waist, she tried not to whimper at the loss of connection as Nick reached to grab a pillow to pretend to smother her.

“Nick!” She screams, worried that it might wake the neighboring rooms, but laughing hard at the pillow that keeps hitting her.

That was until she heard a long bang on the door.

“Christy?”

_ (that was the voice that she was greeted to for 18 years of her life and she thought she had got rid of it 12 years ago) _

Abby wasn’t giving up. “Jessica? Wake up!”

Nick rolled his eyes, rolling out of the bed, throwing the pillow down.

He opens the door to Abby and a few of her bridesmaids who were dressed in small dresses and had full faces of makeup.

“Where is Jessica?” One of the blonde bridesmaids says, behind Abby who had her arms crossed, looking down Nick.

Jess stayed against the bed which was out of the door’s view.

“Not here.” Nick simply responds. “I don’t need to follow her every move, I’m not that type of boyfriend.” He shrugs, lying for her without his sweatback giving him away. “But you need me to give her a message?”

Abby stamps her foot like a child. “Yeah, tell her that she needs to be at my bachelorette party for 2pm. We will be finished by 8pm in time for a dinner in the hotel. Tell her to wear something other than that horrible dress she wore last night.”

Nick smiled. “That dress doesn't exist anymore, anyway”

The girls stopped smiling, looking at each other and back at Nick’s smug smile. Abby choked, looking down Nick before exiting the doorway. The girls laughed down the hallway like teen girls.

Nick shuts the door, looking at Jess’ face which seemed she was trying to stop laughing.

“I meant the dress was thrown in the bin cause of the salt water stains?”

“I know,” Jess threw her head back as Nick joined in with the laugh she couldn’t hold in anymore.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave those comments and kudos!! also (youtuber move) click the subscribe button to never miss a update!
> 
> ily guys! <3
> 
> tumblr - brightinnocence


	5. V : i hope we never see october.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "maybe it was the pink wine or nick’s eyes or the way his hands feel on hers or just pure anger that her sister gets anything she wants but she can’t have nick or maybe the idea that he likes her too that she does what she does"
> 
> jess and nick still have some stuff to sort out. and maybe their feelings and past relationships with others might be some of those things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! my laptop broke so this was done by phone, but its fixed now so that's why this took so long!
> 
> this chapter is brought to you by amy mae's unconditional offer for university, jj being in this chapter and kc nearly dying while betaing this.
> 
> hope you are all well, we are so close to the end!
> 
> as always, enjoy!!

Both dressed in smart clothes, Jess and Nick wait in the hotel lobby, Jess rocking on her feet waiting with a lot of well-dressed family members and Abby’s friends for the bride herself. Nick was told to go to the bachelor party after bumping into Nathan in the hall and having what Nick describes as “a pretty good talk” earlier that day. Nathan’s brother had to drop out because his husband had become sick, so offered Nick his place, confused why he wasn’t told about his wife’s-to-be sister’s boyfriend. 

“Hey, Jess,” Nick nudged Jess’ shoulder, dragging her out of the thoughts of Abby and alcohol in the past. He was holding out his phone and an actual wallet.

“Did you steal these?” Jess laughs under her breath, never seeing him with a wallet or a phone with a case on it. 

He laughs back. “Nah, Winston gave me the wallet, something about it being too big for his cat.” Nick rolls his eyes. “But Nathan said something about the men in your family and his friends like to mess around?” 

Jess nods, taking the wallet and phone away from him.

“I’ve got to stay sober anyway for the wedding tomorrow, so I’ve got your back, Miller.”

_ (nick can handle his drink, i mean he is a bartender, it is his full-time job) _

“They once sent Charles' boss, Captain Holt, a long email about why they should be allowed to have a mini-fridge each in the office but then they also nearly sent a very rude and not professional email as well. So it can go one of both ways.” Jess laughs putting them in her bag, shaking her head at the good side of her family.

Nick smiled at her affectionately, one he only throws at her that makes her melt.

“I like most of your family, Jess, they are really nice.”

She smiles back up at him, grateful that he said  _ most _ . Anyway, he can’t really lie, her mother and sister are a handful.

It was at that time Bob walked into the foyer, waving to the odd family member that greeted him, walking to his youngest daughter and her fake boyfriend.

Bob, touched her shoulder over the white, sparkling material of her dress.

_ (the dress nick hasn’t stopped telling her how pretty it looks on her) _

“Hey, Dad!” Jess hugs her father that she hasn’t seen all day.

_ (nick walked into the room earlier that day sighing over how competitive her father was, but really, bob was grateful because he hardly ever wins at golf. he got a call while getting dressed asking him if he wanted a quick round of golf before the party. nick didn’t refuse) _

“Hey, kid, just needed to check that your man made it here safe. He got torn on the golf pitch today!” Bob pats Nick on his back, smiling widely at his pained expression as he looks Jess in a way which screamed, _ it was so horrible _ .

“Bob, honestly, you're amazing at golf, I can never beat you.” Nick laughs back.

_ (bob never approved of jess’ boyfriends claiming all of them were messes, not good enough. but her fake boyfriend who she has real feelings for makes him happy for her) _

“You should come up to Portland sometime, you have to show me how ‘mini-golf’ is played. Is it with mini balls?” Nick laughs back, kindly dodged the question by explaining how Winston hit a ball at Jess while trying to play.

_ (this was the thing, with the invites after this has happened she is going to have to explain to her father how they broke up, but are still somehow best friends. or jess didn’t want to leave this island the same way they arrived) _

“Hey Jess, can you come up to my room and fix my trousers, they need a slight sewing, they are a bit too long. Maybe after the party? So we will say around 7pm?”

Jess nods, smiling at her dad.

Abby and Nathan walk hand in hand down the grand stairs of the hotel, Bob pats his daughter’s back, walking away from his other daughter and her future husband.

* * *

The club was packed at 2pm. Why her 33-year-old sister rented out a club in midday for a bachelorette party was beyond her, but she sat on a stool with her cousin’s plus one and her friend JJ, sipping pink wine, giving each other knowing looks over the glass.

The music was too loud but JJ kept texting Jess so they could talk and not shout over the music.

_ 2:45pm JJ - having fun, day? _

_ 2:46pm Jess - please, please kill me :( _

_ 2:49pm JJ - how is your miller boy? ;) _

_ 2:51pm Jess - nick can handle himself, he gave me his phone to make sure nothing happened, hopefully he is still alive <3 _

_ 2:52pm JJ - nathan is boring, so yea, he’s safe, lol _

_ 2:54pm Jess - lol, abby keeps looking at us, should we look like we are having a more good time? _

_ 2:56pm JJ - we are having a great time, we are drinking pink wine in the corner and ignoring our horrible family member! :))) _

_ 2:59pm Jess- agreed, cheers to that <3 _

The club got less and less packed at around 6pm, everyone leaving early with the small excuse of the wedding the next morning so nobody got too drunk. Else you were talking about a tipsy Jess and JJ on the bar giggling, now being able to talk to each other because of the music being turned down. That was until Nathan and his group of 10 walked into the club, looking for a drink and their significant others.

Abby comes stumbling over to her sister, half-drunk, to clearly have a moan at her for not having fun.

_ (abby is different when she is drunk. she is far from perfect) _

“Hey, Jess-i-ca!” She pulls out Jess’ name, making her cringe. “How did you get that Miller boy?”

Jess was too tipsy to care.

“We just like each other, he’s an amazing person, we work together.” JJ smiles at her cousin-in-law, nodding at Jess’ statement like a hype woman.

Abby lets out an ugly laugh as Nathan’s arms embrace her from behind, him wincing giving Jess a sorry glance.

“If I wasn’t dating this one, I would totally be dating him!” Abby laughs harder, pulling a pissed Nathan behind her.

“Fuck her,” JJ spat, ready to protect one of her favourite family members.

“JJ, it’s cool, she has Nathan, she isn’t going to try anything. Anyway, I think that she isn’t Nick’s type.” Jess lets out a nervous laugh.

Nick noticed her first because she was one of the only ones left and she was sat next to a dark blonde woman who looked kind and he knew from the times Jess would show him pictures of her family telling him about how JJ is the best person to hang around with at family events because of their love of pink wine and sitcoms.

JJ hugs Jess tightly, laughing once more about something he still can’t hear, before JJ walks up to her boyfriend who had just entered the club.

Jess sees him standing about 10 feet away from her watching her as if she was a Chicago Bears player about to make a winning shot. He’s looking at her as if she was a lunar eclipse, something rare, something unique. Like in this world she is the only thing worth looking at.

_ (he feels the same way. you don’t look at friends that way) _

“Hey, Miller.”

“Hey, Day.” His pause allowed him to look over her dress for the hundredth time that afternoon.

_ (maybe it was the pink wine or nick’s eyes or the way his hands feel on hers or just pure anger that her sister gets anything she wants but she can’t have nick or maybe the idea that he likes her too that she does what she does) _

She walks towards him at a fast pace, which with the heels on that she has was amazing, until she is just inches away from his lips. Nick looks surprised and slightly confused.

Her breathing became uneven as she leaned towards his lips and his arms curled around her waist taking her back to this morning.

“Can we stop pretending for a moment?” Nick whispers, looking into big blue eyes. “Even though what I am about to do is very idiotic, this isn’t for show.”

_ (she swears that she will try to write down the way nick looks at her. she wants to have it in words, to carry around with her, or always have him around so he can always look at her this way) _

Jess’ breathing slows as she feels his hands moving up her back because now she knew, she knew that Nick Miller isn’t acting. He was crazy about her too.

“Just do it, Mill--”

“Not here.” He cuts her off, looking over her shoulder at her sister, Abby, who sips her drink watching Nick while Nathan whisper-shouts in her ear something inaudible. To Jess anyway. By the look on Nick’s face, he could hear everything. “Beach?”

* * *

A short taxi drive was all that was going to get them back to the hotel, but it was their luck that Charles offered them a ride home after leaving the club the same time as them.

“You two remind me of my friends back in Brooklyn.” Charles laughs, driving his rental car.

_ (the two’s hands hadn’t left each other since exiting the club, and it seemed charles noticed) _

Jess rolls her eyes but smiling at the mention of Charles friends Jake and Amy who she will admit, had been happy to hear finally got together a few years ago and are happily engaged now.

“Friends to lovers - an amazing love story.” Charles laughed pulling up to the hotel.

Jess lets go of Nick’s hand to hug her cousin from the backseat, thanking him, before following Nick onto the private beach which was once again dead as the hotel was serving dinner and most of the guests were Abby’s party.

_ (nick was not good at feelings, so what he was going to tell her on the beach was going to be messy) _

They walked to the beach walking close to the water and reminding Jess of how they always came back to the sea, it seemed like the ocean described their relationship. Dangerous, deadly but when the sun shimmed on the water and the cool waves hit your feet, you didn’t care. You just saw the beauty and wanted more.

Nick kicking the sand made her snap out of her thoughts, feeling the grains go into her flats.

“Nick!” Her tone rested on the teacher's voice, pulling on his hand to stop him walking. “Stop kicking the sand!”

“I’m not kicking it towards your face, Jessica, jee, calm down!” Nick shouts back, gripping on her hand a little tighter as if he was scared she was going to let go.

_ (never) _

“I don’t care, Nicholas, stop it or I swear--”

She didn’t get to finish off her sentence because Nick’s lips were on her’s, one of her hands still tightly wrapped in his’, but the other one resting on his cheek and his arm around her waist. The kiss was deep, reminding her of nights they would argue or when he sipped his beer or even the way he looks at her when she walks into the bar. She didn’t want to let him go. She didn’t want to break away, but Nick pulls away letting her hand to cup her face looking at her eyes gleaming in the Hawaiian sun.

_ (because throughout this trip jess has seen a different side of nick. the side that seemed more relaxed, happier. jess thought it was because of being on holiday and not having men on his back all the time about dating and females but now jess was thinking it was because he got to spend time with a girl he has been harboring feelings for) _

“Nick--” Jess' voice broke but she didn’t find herself to be embarrassed. “I need to go to see my Dad.”

_ (that was the last thing she wanted to do and maybe handling a needle tipsy and full of just  _ nick  _ because he is the only thing she wants to pay attention to right now) _

He sighs, dropping his hand from her cheek, not breaking eye contact.

"Way to ruin the mood, Jessica."

Jess laughs quietly as if she was still trying to break the tension.

"I'll speak to you later?" Jess whispers as if someone was watching or listening.

Nick kissed her quickly and gently, as if it was a routine already.

"We do share a room, J-Day. So, yeah."

* * *

Jess' Dad muttered at the T.V, not paying attention to Jess, who was finishing up sewing the trousers.

"Jessie, what are they? What is going on?" Bob throws his hand dramatically towards the screen, holding his beer bottle tightly.

She smiles explaining the characters that she has no idea about, but creating dramatic life stories for her father who listened with carefully, asking questions at the right time.

As she finishes up the trousers, Bob looks over at his daughter.

"So, how long do you think it will be until we see a Miller-Day wedding?"

Jess freezes. Something buzzes in her pocket.

"Uh, I don't know dad," Jess pulls out Nick's phone, forgetting it was still in her pocket. Her breath stops as she reads the top message.

_ 7:48pm Caroline _ \- you're right. i want you back too. call me x

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, not sorry!


	6. VI : your love made me crazy, if it isn’t, you ain’t doing right.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "jess placed his phone next to her glasses and something inside her stirred, it was almost too domestic.
> 
> (or it was reminding her of what they could have been)"
> 
> or it's time to get some feelings out, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we are, at the end!!
> 
> (p.s yes i changed my username!)
> 
> thank you so much for all of your support for the last month and half, this fic has better than i thought it would and i am so grateful for everyone's kind comments and hyping up this fic!
> 
> anyway, bet you're are mad at me for the last chapter so, enjoy this antsy, fluff that i give this snowy day in england! <3
> 
> for the last time for this fic - enjoy!!

“I need-” Jess chokes on the air which felt thick with something she has never tasted before, “Dad, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She didn’t let him answer, throwing the sewed trousers on the double bed, still holding Nick’s phone in one hand, trying to make her way back to her room.

The door slammed behind her as Jess’ breathing became unstable like she was having one of those asthma attacks she had when she was a kid, running on the school playground and feeling as if all the air from her lungs was gone and struggling to keep up with Cece’s long legs and her normal lungs.

She made it about half way down the hall before coming to the understanding that Nick and Jess were supporting the sharing a bed trope.

_(it’s something she would read in a book that her students would give to her, and in fairness, fake dating was something that would be found in one those too, but right now was the time in the book that she wasn’t going to ever get anywhere with nick because he’s been in love with caroline for years, just waiting for the day she would send him this text. it was never jess and nick)_

She had some sort of hope that Nick wouldn’t be in the room, hoping that he might be at the bar, or maybe still at the beach. 

Jess walked up to her and Nick’s hotel room door, pressing her key card against it gently, trying to gather her thoughts just in case she comes face to face with him.

The room’s lights were off, apart from a lamp that casted a light shadow over the dark room and Jess sighs in relief that Nick wasn’t there. She flicks on the other lights, letting the tears she was holding in fall down her face, washing off that makeup she had been so worried about in the morning.

_(her heart that was screaming to her earlier wasn’t anymore. it was quiet, beating quietly as if it didn’t have a purpose anymore)_

She placed her glasses on the bedside table as they had misted up due to her crying, finally seeing a folded piece of paper that had her full name written in a messy handwriting that she put a name instantly to.

It was on that fancy paper the hotel had left them that Jess had made a mental note to take home with her and felt so heavy in her hands. She unfolded it, trying to hold back more tears that threatened to make an appearance looking at his wobbly handwriting and signed last name.

_can’t wait to see you later, day, keep my phone safe for me, i’ll be right back._

_\- miller._

She dropped the paper on the floor, already feeling those tears coming back, knowing he wasn't coming back to her.

_(well he will. he will think he wants her until he sees the message that his soulmate has left him and make up some excuse of why he needs to fly back to the states asap. or maybe he will keep his promise, staying until the wedding was done before flying home, going to his real home, the flat that he was going to share with her)_

Jess placed his phone next to her glasses and something inside her stirred, it was almost too domestic.

_(or it was reminding her of what they could have been)_

Instead she places the phone on his bedside table, not turning it on, or even bothering to make sure his side was clear, but just wanting to get out of her way.

Not bothering to get dressed in the neatly folded pjs at the end of her bed, she throws on an old t-shirt she sees on the floor. The duvet was warm and Jess let out even more tears as she smelt Nick’s side of the bed.

It wasn’t until she was finally half asleep did she finally notice she was wearing Nick’s shirt.

She didn’t take it off.

* * *

  
  


“I’m going to miss Trench-Coat-Nick,” he laughed, walking her to her door.

Jess smiled. “Yeah...me too,” Jess joked back, feeling the tension they seem to have built up again.

_(tonight, their relationship had changed. they aren’t talking about it, but something had shifted in their roommate dynamic leaving them in a new wave of understanding and feelings that they both needed to discover)_

Nick stopped outside their doors, making direct eye contact with her, staring into her soul making her feel light headed.

His hands were deep in his light green joggers as if he was holding something in there to ground him. “He had guts.” He laughed, dropping that eye contact he had been keeping.

_(then get that damn coat back is what jess should have said. or you still have guts, you can still kiss me)_

“It was a woman’s coat.” She deadpan stated meeting his eyes again.

The tension was leaving the air thick with this energy they both sensed but didn’t mention it.

Nick laughed again and she joined in.

Jess sighes, letting a hand touch his shoulder in a friendly way.

“Well….goodnight, Miller.”

Nick looked as if he was trying to win an internal battle. Jess put it down to the alcohol inside her for over-thinking.

His eyes tracing over her features, dropping glances at her lips, he finally smiled back.

“Goodnight, Day.”

As she walked to her door, she didn’t see Nick standing still in the hallway, watching her go, regretting everything.

* * *

  
  


Jess must have drifted to sleep in the end, but awoke to Nick’s key-card beeping against the door.

She shut her eyes tightly, remembering the note, text message and the beach walk. It was only a matter of time.

Nick tried to be as quiet as possible, watching where he stepped as Jess watched with half open eyes that she found she couldn’t keep shut. He wasn’t drunk, she knew Nick and somehow she knew he would never get drunk the night before her sister’s wedding.

_(even though her sister was a bitch)_

_(that was harsh. but true)_

Jess shut her eyes as Nick started making his way closer to her, trying her best to keep back the tears as he spoke.

His voice sounded soft as he whispered to her in the darkness. “Jess? Jess?”

_(maybe fake sleeping for some people at 9pm would seem fake, but not for jess. she has the sleep schelde of a middle school kid. or teacher. whatever, she only knows she sleeps early and wakes up early and nick loves to joke about it)_

She was trying to not lean into his touch as his hands brushed over her loose, brown hair and felt the guilt and embarrassment of rather faking sleep than talking to him.

_(she was meant to be the one who was open with the feelings, or, at least she thought--)_

A phone buzzed beside her, making Nick’s hands leave her hair, and she can hear him unlocking his phone.

_(he has now read the message)_

There is a clear of the throat, a pause that lasts more than 30 seconds because she counts, then a voice at the end of the phone.

“Hey, Caroline, you texted me?”

Nick walked out to the balcony, shutting the door behind him.

Jess cried herself to sleep that night.

* * *

Nick wasn’t in her bed in the morning and Jess found that strange for a moment.

_(as if one night was enough for her to settle into a routine of having nick’s soft breathing on the side of her neck and an arm tucked firmly around her waist)_

Instead he was sleeping on the lumpy armchair at the end of the bed, his body in an uncomfortable position that makes Jess know that his neck is going to hurt today. He was still breathing softly in the clothes he had on yesterday, his mouth slightly open and his phone on the arm of the chair making her flashback to the night before of stolen kisses on the beach and better exes that he will love and care about way more than he has ever felt about Jess.

Jess crawled out of bed, making her way to the shower before a relsition hit her.

It’s Abby’s wedding day. She needed to be in the bridal rooms half an hour ago.

And she still has Nick’s shirt on.

_(but she didn’t feel guilty about both of those things in all fairness)_

She looked back over her shoulder at her roommates sleeping arrangement choosing not to think into why he chose to sleep there but instead writing him a hasty note, to Nick reminding him when the wedding started and that she would talk to him later. 

_(she probably won’t)_

Jess signed her name carefully, making sure it was in her neatest handwriting. Jess threw on a hoodie and some legging that were in her suitcase knowing that her dress was waiting for her in the hotel’s dressing room area, ( _she had no idea what to call it because she was too into watching nick throw down his beer)_ and her hair would be tended to by some expensive hairdresser.

Against her own judgement she walked around to Nick’s chair and placed a small kiss on his forehead whispering something about how sorry she was.

_(sorry for what; she had no idea)_

* * *

  
  


“You are - _so…_.late.” Abby was hyperventilating in her room while three bridesmaids played around with her hair combing it back into a neat bun, fighting over sections of her hair in hushed whispers.

Jess sighed.

“Long night - it was a mistake, I’m sorry.” Jess pulled her dress off the rail, reminding herself about the one thing that was going to make her feel most confident this afternoon.

Abby throws her hands around once the three girls have finished with her hair.

Looking at Jess through the mirror she spoke in a low tone that Jess hates.

“Get dressed, do your own hair.” She looks at her expensive watch that her soon-to-be-father-in-law got her. “You have an hour.”

Jess didn’t need much time to get ready. She curled her hair leaving it in the soft waves she likes daily. Her make-up wasn't much, she was told to keep it natural as a beach wedding getting it washed off by getting pushed into the sea won’t surprise her. She felt pretty. She also felt alone.

* * *

The bar was quiet, like it always was in the early hours of the morning. Jess should not be out past 12am, but Nick kept cleaning down the bar and Jess kept watching him.

_(he doesn’t clean at home, so it was nice to watch him do it somewhere else so she knew he was capable of doing it)_

“Go home, Jessica, I’m fine, I know how to wipe down my own workplace.” His sleeves were all rolled up and his eyes were laced in dark circles for the late shifts this week.

She shrugs holding her full glass a little closer to her chest.

“I haven’t even finished my drink yet.”

Nick smiles, walking around to be right in front of her to meet her tired eyes.

His chuckle does something to her head making her head feel light.

_(or maybe that was the alcohol)_

“The drink you’ve been working through for the hour?”

_(fuck)_

Jess shrugs again.

“I can take my time, Miller.” She sips the drink a little bit. “This is a free country.”

He rolls his eyes, looking around the empty bar. Leaning over the counter, leaving him now only a few centimeters away from her.

“If you like me, Day, you only have to admit it.”

Jess shot him a dirty look. “I only like you for your free drinks and how you always have salted peanuts.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yep.” She throws back her drink as Nick watches, a small smile on his face. She winces, hating herself for ordering a drink she has no clue about and now finding out that was a sipping whiskey.

He takes the glass away from her, still smiling.

“Well.. no more free drinks or peanuts for you.”

_(10 minutes later he’s sliding her the last of the good kind of peanuts while he dries glasses)_

* * *

As Jess walks towards the hotel’s beach, she does have to remind herself of her sister’s great taste. Flowers cover the sand, the colours will stand against the white of Abby’s dress. Flaming torches stuck in the ground as well, making Jess want to write a risk review about the dangerous idea that was probably Nathan’s.

Nick was waiting in the front row of seats at the wedding in a grey suit that is not Schmidt’s so must be new. She isn’t walking down the aisle with Abby, she only wanted her closest friends to do that, but Jess must hand her the vows Abby has written when the time comes.

_(very, very,_ very _important bridesmaid job, said nobody ever)_

Her nerves went into overdrive seeing him sit there, talking easily with Bob, laughing over something on Nick’s phone. The two looked happy, maybe they were always meant to be friends.

Jess walked up the aisle to the first row, accepting her family's compliments of how pretty she is and how much she has grown. She smiled, giving her thanks to them, hoping to get down to the end without too much hold up. Jess really wanted this over.

None of Jess’ family members reacted the way Nick Miller did though.

“Hey, guys..”

Nick dropped his phone, swearing slightly at the sight of her. 

“Jessie, you look beautiful...amazing darling!” Bob stood up to hug his daughter and Jess more than ever wanted to talk to him about this week. But she didn’t want to get in the way of her father’s and Nick’s relationship. “Are you okay?”

_(last night, last night was too painful to think back too)_

“Yeah, I just forgot to turn off the shower in my room, that was what scared me, so much.”

_(note-to-self - jessica day is a horrible liar)_

Nick’s eyes were looking her down, not a hint of shame in his eyes.

_(or maybe he knows she is lying about last night, maybe he knows she saw the text, maybe he is thinking of the best way to break to her the kiss was a mistake)_

Jess felt comfortable under his look through, like this was just something he did daily, just look at her and remind her how pretty she was.

_(there is that heart thing. it playing up again, telling her maybe nick didn’t get back with caroline)_

Picking up his phone, he patted the space next to him, which she sat in.

“I don’t have physical words to describe how beautiful you look.” Nick whispered beside her. “Like, I need to tell you, but I can’t.”

Against her better judgement for the second time that day, slips her hand into his, digging her feet into the sand and feeling his hand hold her tighter. 

* * *

“And do you, Nathan Taylor Pause, take Miss Abby Jade Day to be your lawfully wedded wife?” The priest shouted over the waves that crashed into the shore.

_(jess should have been watching her sister get married, but, really she more into the idea that the person holding her hand had kissed her here about 20 hours ago)_

“I do.” A ring slipped onto her finger and the priest muttered something about kissing the bride, then Nick let go of her hand for one second to clap twice before slipping it back into her’s.

_(it was over pretty much now. the day after tomorrow they will be on a plane home and never hold hands again and she will never feel his lips on her, but instead, watch him kiss caroline)_

* * *

Gina thrusted another pink gin into Jess’ hands, listening carefully.

“I fucked up, Gina.”

Gina rested a hand on her shoulder, a rare sort of affection from her.

_(gina was the only person who told her straight, not wanting the fakeness of her other family members, she needed gina)_

Gina sat on the stairs of the hotel, listening carefully to the story of how Jessica has ended up here, on the steps of a hotel the night of her sister’s wedding with the party ranging in the hall a few feet away.

“Wait, so everything this week was fake?” Gina laughed under her breath. “Nah, I don’t believe that.”

Jess looked up from the glass in her hands and pulled on her dress.

“Huh?”

Gina turned to face her, holding her free hand. “The best actors, like me-” Jess laughed slightly, wiping a tear that she didn’t feel until now, “-use real emotions to portray themselves as real as possible to convince an audience. That’s what Nick is doing. I mean, nobody here has even thought once that you and him are fake. Nobody. Trust me, you two, have it bad for each other.”

“But Caroline…”

Gina sighs. “Only texted him. He called her. Get the balls to ask him if it was all real. Come on, Jess!”

Gina smiled widely at her, hooking her arm, dragging Jess off the stairs.

“I believe in you.”

* * *

  
  


Nick was waiting for her at the table catching her eye as she stood by the door.

_(somehow this felt like it had happened before)_

Jess walks across the hall reminding herself she needed this; she needed to know.

Nick smiled widely at her as if he couldn’t smile when she wasn’t there.

“Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight?” Nick whispered to her as she slipped onto her chair, looking into his soul. He whispered as if it was something he wasn’t meant to say, like it was out of line or she might be mad or get annoyed. Maybe that came for the Caroline side of him.

_(his sleeves where all rolled up, his blazer was thrown over the back of the chair and his compliant was almost making jess lose focus)_

Jess looks up from her sand covered shoes to look at him in his eyes.

_(those brown, brown eyes)_

Taking a breath she started, “I know. I saw the message. The phone call, I didn’t mean to, but-” Nick looked confused for half a second before a flash of understanding replaced the look, “-are you-”

Nick, pain-moonwalking Nick, I-don’t-wanna-talk-feelings Nick, crushed his lips to hers briefly stopping her rant and making her melt into the feeling of him. It was short, because of family and friends and this wasn’t their day, but it left Jess breathless and wanting more. He looked sheepish, worried, or maybe even angry at himself.

“I saw the message. I called her to let her know that it was never going to happen again. I told her I was with you.” Jess met his eyes shyly as he cups her face, leaning closer to her. “Because, Day, I’m the one who is crazy about you. I dare you to find someone who is more crazy about ya.”

_(well heart, maybe you were always right)_

Jess didn’t care about family, her sister, her mother, the looks she could get, she kissed Nick deeply, trying to see how much he meant to her in that one kiss, in that one piece of time they have together. His lips were giving the same passion as what she was giving because they were always equals and they always will be.

She didn’t leave his side all evening as if he was going to disappear and get on the net flight home without her. Even when she caught the bouquet of flowers by mistake, trying to get away from the screaming bridesmaids fighting over the closest space; Abby had horrible aim and it landed by Jess’ feet, so picking it up gingerly looking at Nick who spat out his whiskey at the sight that Jessica Day had caught the bouquet and Bob slapping his back hard in a way of congratulations as if he had just proposed right there.

She shot him a pitying expression in the crowd of the guests cheering all looking to Nick who raised his glass laughing with the men as he made his way where she was standing. Abby was walking off the stage muttering something about how Jess always takes away the spotlight and everyone hears it in the mic, but Nick simply presses a light kiss to her cheek under the fairy lights that were wrapped around the hall.

“Well, the guy is lucky one.” Nick shrugs, looking at the flowers.

Jess laughs aware that everyone has gone back to their own business. For that she was grateful.

“Yeah he is.” Nick smiles at her. “Because he has got you paying for the wedding.”

His smile drops for a second before faking being annoyed.

“Oh, God, never going to live this down am I?”

Jess laughs over the music that was starting up again. “Nope.”

Nick sips his whiskey carefully as if he was wondering about telling her something. He places his drink at the edge of the stage wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Hey, I know this is early but-” Nick starts, but Jess cuts in.

“Don’t ask me to marry you, this is a joke, promise, I swear-”

“I love you.” Jess stops, looks up at him, face full of adoration. “I love you and I know this is new, but I will ask ya one day, but not at your abusive sister’s wedding.”

Jess reaches up to kiss him for the 4th time this evening.

_(so far)_

He tasted like whiskey, toothpaste and home.

She breaks away, still basking in the fact, _they love each other._

“I love you too, and for that, I cannot wait.”

_(she really couldn't)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really hoped you enjoyed this, please leave comments and kudos!
> 
> tumblr - brightinnocence  
> instagram - agaetopia
> 
> love you all, stay safe, until next time! <3

**Author's Note:**

> review and leave a kudo for a cookie!


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